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  1. <Designer Of The Mazda Miata, Shunji Tanaka, Dies Aged 75 Thanks for everything, Tanaka-San. Shunji Tanaka, the chief designer of the original (NA) Mazda MX-5 Miata, has passed away. The announcement was made on Facebook by a close friend and chairperson of the MX-5 Club Tanaka was a member of, Mr. Katsuyuki Satake. A translation by a fellow enthusiast alerted CarBuzz to the news with a simple statement, "I'm so sorry to announce that Mr. Tanaka, the Chief Designer of NA MX-5 has passed away on Dec. 12th at the age of 75." Apparently, Mr. Tanaka's last words were, "I have no regret in my life." It's unclear what Tanaka died of, but he was right, not having any regrets. He gave the world the seminal small sports car. The Miata is the Porsche 911 of small sports cars and has a legacy and reputation some manufacturers can only dream of. Mazda Friends Of MX-5/Facebook Mazda Mazda Mazda It remains the world's best-selling sports car and one of the most affordable ways for automotive enthusiasts to have fun. Mazda may be moving over to hybrid power for the MX-5 in future, but we're sure the fun element will be retained. For now, it remains true to its origins. Despite being head designer of the Miata, Tanaka did not get as much attention as the lead engineers, Toshihiko Hirai and Takao Kijima. These two men were responsible for making the Miata the epic driving tool, while Tanaka was responsible for the exterior and interior design. While the Miata certainly deserves praise as a driving tool, the design is as much a part of a very successful and lucrative roadster. Before the Miata came along, the roadster had all but died out. It continued the ethos of British roadsters but rectified their build quality and reliability issues for a complete package like no other. Friends of MX-5 Miata/Facebook Mazda MX-5 Miata 25 years The NA Miata was such a hit, an entire book was written about it when it turned 25. As you can see, the famous pop-up headlights and smiling face were always a part of the design, inspired by the Lotus Elan. According to Tanaka, the concept for the Miata was a "Swinging Time Machine." In short, it was a symbol of freedom and meant to provide a thrilling open-top experience that brought the driver closer to nature. Many people don't know this, but the first concept was designed in California. Mazda approved the project, which sparked the initial design phase. After completing the project, it was shipped to Japan, where a disapproving Tanaka met it. Mazda MX-5 Miata 25 years MX-5 Miata Forum MX-5 Miata Forum According to interviews with Tanaka, he thought the design was too Americanized, and there was no way to identify it as a lightweight sports car. He didn't beat around the bush. He also said the US team must have "eaten too much steak and forgotten the delicacy of Japanese cuisine." You can see the difference between the California concept and Tanaka's clay model in the photos above, with the redesign taking influence from his wife's love of Japanese Noh masks that seemingly change expression depending on the angle they are viewed from. Whether his comments were too harsh or not, history speaks for itself. The NA Miata is a driving and design icon, and Shunji Tanaka was responsible for half of that. Rest in peace Tanaka-San. Your legacy lives on in the heart of every Miata fan. Kenji Matsuda/Facebook Friends of MX-5 Miata/Facebook 佐竹克行/Facebook 佐竹克行/Facebook>
  2. <Why Koenigsegg Never Went Racing, And Why It Doesn't Plan to Start Christian von Koenigsegg explains why his cars have never competed at Le Mans, and why he doesn't intend to participate in the new Hypercar class. KOENIGSEGG Despite building some of the most innovative supercars on earth, Koenigsegg does not currently have a racing team. That's not for lack of trying: Founder Christian von Koenigsegg actually built a viable race car with intent to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans when his company was in its infancy. But it never happened, and during a lengthy conversation with the man behind the Swedish performance car company, we learned more about why his Le Mans ambitions fell apart—and whether he hopes to try again. In 2007, Koenigsegg built a fully-functional race car that exactly followed the FIA's Group GT1 rules. The race car, called CCGT, bore a strong resemblance to Koenigsegg's second production model, the CCR. But its roots went back even further, to the very first prototype Koenigsegg built, called CC. As explained on a Koenigsegg company blog post, the original CC, and the race car it spawned, was designed to fit exactly into GT1's dimension requirements: The car could be two meters wide at the maximum, and the cockpit had to span 70 percent of the vehicle's overall width. It had a dry weight of 2200 pounds (significantly below the minimum weight for GT1, which would mean adding ballast to reach the required weight) and was powered by a naturally aspirated V-8 making well over 600 horsepower. But two months after the CCGT's first shakedown runs, the ACO and FIA had a change of heart. The governing bodies banned carbon-fiber monocoque construction, which was used in every Koenigsegg road car and thus formed the basis of the CCGT. The regulators also raised the minimum production requirement dramatically. Previously, an automaker was required to construct 20 street-legal examples of a model, in total, to be eligible to race. After the 2007 change, that number rose to 350 cars per year, impossible for a tiny automaker like Koenigsegg to achieve. The CCGT was ruled out of the class before it ever competed in a single race. The only Koenigsegg CCGT ever built. | KOENIGSEGG "We were aiming to go racing in the GT1 series, which was perfect for our type of cars—road-going hypercars turned race cars" von Koenigsegg told Road & Track during a recent, lengthy conversation. "Then they shut it down right when we were about to go racing, which was very annoying. Since then, there hasn't been any series for these types of cars." The rule change left von Koenigsegg without a place to take his supercars racing. "Even if we would be allowed to go to the highest level of GT racing, we would be competing against Porsche 911s and Ferrari 488s"—sports cars built to vastly different performance goals than Koenigsegg's cars, which commanded well over half a million dollars each. Even if von Koenigsegg had wanted to compete in such a class, he worried that his cars would be "completely downgraded through Balance of Performance via restrictors, because we are not supposed to be any faster. And then it would be just a super-expensive racing car, which would cost more to repair than a 911, and we might even get beaten by a 911 because of BoP, while in reality, they are completely different vehicles. That doesn't make any sense." So Koenigsegg's racing dreams died in 2007, before they could ever become real. But what about today? The WEC's new Hypercar class debuted this year, and it was seemingly built for exactly the kind of extreme vehicles that Koenigsegg builds. But the man behind the Swedish supercar company is unconvinced. "Of course, they started this Hypercar series at Le Mans, but in the end it turned out to be some kind of LMP car again, so it's just a new name for the same kind of thing, more or less." Does von Koenigsegg see a racing future for his cars? Not under the current rules. "The alternative, I guess, is to build some kind of a Le Mans Prototype, which has no relation to our road cars, which I don't find too appealing. I would like to go back to the GT1 type of class, where we [could] see Bugattis, Paganis, Koenigseggs—modified road cars featuring completely different technologies. Not this silhouette racing where you have the same chassis under different bodies. Granted, it would be a very expensive series, given the price of these cars, but then we could build up on what we have. Everyone could showcase something you could actually buy, if you're extremely wealthy. That's what we would like, but I'm not sure if it could ever happen.">
  3. Look like 3 series, but not sure why they're camouflaged. The new G20 has come out last year. Anybody know anything? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O62BzQtFylE
  4. http://www.autoblog.com/2016/03/01/honda-civic-hatchback-prototype-geneva-2345/#slide-3816673 Looking pretty sweet for a prototype. I wonder how the final version will turn out? Edit: Sorry boss, supposed to be "Honda Civic Hatchback Prototype unveiled"
  5. http://lexusenthusiast.com/lexus/is/ http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and-revie...ototype_review/ Paul Gover from Carsguide also had a test drive in the the next-generation Lexus IS prototype: The IS250 is immediately quieter than I remember
  6. [extract] Ever since Toyota Motorsport GmbH left the world of Formula One in 2009, the company has been busy with several projects. One of their recent completed and considered successful projects was the Toyota TS030 Le Mans hybrid race car. On top of that, the company has also been busy with changing the company
  7. [extract] After releasing the Rapid sedan, Skoda is readying the next generation Octavia sedan. The current version has been in the market for eight years and the upcoming MK3 Octavia is said to be larger and positioned more upmarket. The prototype of the new Octavia was spied for the first time during testing at the N
  8. [extract] In its second iteration, the current Lexus IS sedan has been with us since 2005. It may have survived the 2007-2008 global financial crisis, but it may not survive the onslaught of fresher models such as the facelifted Audi A4, the naughty Volvo S60 and the 2012 BMW 3 Series. Hope for the IS family line is here as the 2014 IS saloon has been spied in camouflage while undergoing some testing in Belgium. The overall profile of the car appears to be more streamlined and the sloping hood lends a sporty stance. The new sedan is said to adopt the LF-CC concept
  9. [extract] About a month ago, Suzuki showed the world a couple of images of its upcoming S-Cross crossover concept. One of the images was a sketch of the concept and the other, a computer rendered-image. Now, Suzuki has teased us with another image of the vehicle and it is of the rear end of the vehicle. Suzuki did not give us much clues on the concept
  10. [extract] For those who are familiar with the fictional world of Marvel comic books, you would know who Red Skull is. The Red Skull was a former Nazi officer, a member of HYDRA (fictional terrorist organisation) and he is also the archenemy of superhero, Captain America. In the 2011 feature film, Captain America, Red Skull
  11. From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1199552/1/.html Prototype of new police car revealed By Olivia Siong | Posted: 06 May 2012 1626 hrs
  12. The state of Nevada has approved Google's plan to test its prototype driverless Prius on the infamous Las Vegas Strip and so far, the results have been promising. We know how being in a driverless train feels like, but trains are relatively simple to operate compared to the chaos of driving on roads where imbeciles and drunk bafoons roam. Safer roads According to an article on BBC News, roads will become a safer place. More than 1.2 million people around the world die every year in road accidents and approximately 50 million are injured according to the World Health Organization. I guess having a computer to drive for you will eliminate the need to look at your phone, wondering whether your wife received your message saying you'll be home late and worrying that if she didn't she'd flip out. Having a microchip drive you also prevents you being distracted by the GPS read outs or (if you're a social network freak) Facebook. Whatever it is, the computer will do it for you and you can sit back and enjoy the ride. "Google's car adheres strictly to the speed limit and follows the rules of the road" says Tom Jacobs, a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Who had the privilege of riding shotgun in the Google car. Cars won't speed, they won't crash into each other because they will be able to communicate with one another and sort all the lane changing and slowing down stuff that usually ends up with us humans cursing and swearing at another driver. People will be more productive Well, you won't have to steer or step on the accelerator, so you get to do work. Basically do what you do on a train or a bus and that'll be the same in a driverless car. Fewer traffic jams This was a surprise to me. But apparently the computers will be able to drive the car nearly bumper to bumper and I think that will freak me out more than anything but, yes, fewer traffic jams because cars will be able to regulate speed and distance between one another. But...VIPs still need humans to drive We all know that planes fly on autopilot once reaching cruising altitude, but imagine knowing that your plane is landing or taking off by itself. Most will not will not feel comfortable about that, so when it comes to people with either really deep wallets or immense political power, they'd stick to having a human at the wheel to prevent them from, well, dying.
  13. New prototype FRC coming out....one feature that will be interesting : Four cameras will also be mounted on the roof of the car as part of an automated Number Plate Recognition System. The fully automated system is able to help police officers screen license plates more efficiently. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1199552/1/.html
  14. [extract] When I first laid my eyes on the new Fisker Atlantic design prototype, it simply took my breath away. I personally feel, that this is the most promosing four door coupe to date among all in the same category, including the likes of Audi and Mercedes Benz. The Atlantic is presented at a special event before its world premiere at the New York Auto Show on 4 April 12. The Atlantic will be Fisker
  15. PetrolHead

    Tony Stark

    [extract] Honda's premium brand, Acura and Marvel Entertainment, announced details of promotional campaign for this summer's anticipated film, The Avengers, Though personally I
  16. Swiss watch maker, Swatch, is known for its colourful and quirky-looking wrist watches. But did you know that they have tried their hand in the automotive industry and one of their projects in 1993 resulted into a car that looks way-out just like their watches? The first picture you see here is the Swatchmobile. Looks familiar, right? That is because the Swatchmobile project eventually led to the first generation Smart car. Since then, Swatch has not participated in the automotive industry. But the company recently announced that they are currently working on a eco-friendly car project. Currently named ELV2, it might enter mass production in four to five years. Swatch CEO Nick Hayek, who is also the son of the company
  17. [extract] Most of us are aware that Porsche is developing their next supercar model which is the 918 Spyder and it will be the world
  18. Better things to come from the new Exora Turbo with CVT gearbox.... Now on-test in Sweden. http://paultan.org/2011/02/22/five-things-...weden-tells-us/
  19. Mazda gave us a glimpse of its next-generation Sky-G (gas) and Sky-D (diesel) powertrains at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, as well as its new Sky-Drive six-speed automatic transmission. These engines are currently running the testing gauntlet, as the first applications are expected to show up as early as next year in the refreshed Mazda6 sedan. Car and Driver was able to snag an early test of a 2.0-liter Sky-G engine, which will reportedly achieve 30 miles per gallon in the city and 39 to 40 mpg on the highway when used in a Mazda3. This puts it in the same territory as the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta TDIs, not to mention besting smaller offerings like the Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit. C&D also got the skinny on Mazda's 2.2-liter Sky-D diesel powertrain, which the automaker has confirmed for application in its "next-generation mid-size sedan" (*cough* Mazda6 *cough*) which will achieve up to 43 mpg on the highway. Take that, Fusion Hybrid. Head over to Car and Driver's full deep-dive for a raft of details about both of the new engines. [source: Car and Driver]
  20. Check this out!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuIJRsAuCHQ...player_embedded
  21. SAN FRANCISCO - Gizmodo said Monday that California police raided the home of an editor for the gadget blog who revealed details last week of a secret next-generation iPhone prototype. Gizmodo published excerpts from a search warrant that gave police permission to seize property from editor Jason Chen's home that was "used as the means of committing a felony" or "tends to show that a felony has been committed." The search warrant signed by a local judge specifically authorized the seizure of "printed documents, images and/or notations pertaining to the sale and/or purchase of the stolen iPhone prototype." Gizmodo last week said it purchased the iPhone prototype for US$5,000 from an unidentified person who found it in a California bar, where it had been lost by a 27-year-old Apple software engineer named Gray Powell. Chen said in a post on the Gizmodo website on Monday that he and his wife returned from having dinner out on Friday to find police searching their home in the northern California county of San Mateo. "The officers had a computer and were cataloging all the items they took from my home," Chen said. "They told me they were here for a few hours already and had to break the front door open because I wasn't home to open the door." The officers, members of the California Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team, took four computers and two computer servers from the couple's house, according to the posting. Gizmodo has said it returned the iPhone prototype to Apple after the notoriously secretive company asked for it back. Gizmodo also published a letter from a lawyer for its owner, Gawker Media, objecting to the raid on Chen's home and arguing that a "search warrant may not be validly issued to confiscate the property of a journalist." "We expect the immediate return of the materials that you confiscated from Mr. Chen," said the letter from Gaby Darbyshire, who is also Gawker's chief operating officer. Stephen Wagstaffe, spokesman for the San Mateo County District Attorney's office, confirmed Friday's raid and said Apple had contacted his office to report the crime. But he did not elaborate on investigation details. "The allegation was that there was a reasonable cause that a felony theft had occurred," he said. "This is the beginning of the investigation." Apple, which was not available for comment, is expected to unveil the next-generation iPhone this summer. Trumpeted as a major scoop, Gizmodo's bloggers said they returned the device to Apple after an official request came from Cupertino, but not before taking it apart and reporting on the device's details. According to a search warrant posted on gizmodo.com, the computers may contain photographs of Apple's "prototype 4G iPhone," as well as email pertaining to its purchase, call records, and research on Gray Powell, the Apple engineer who purportedly misplaced the device. In a letter to the police also published on gizmodo.com, Gawker's Chief Operating Officer and legal counsel Gaby Darbyshire asserted the search and seizure was illegal under California law, because Chen works as a journalist for the publication, protecting him from such action. According to Gizmodo, Powell, the Apple engineer, was celebrating his 27th birthday at a beer garden in Redwood City, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Apple headquarters in Cupertino, on the night of March 18. Gizmodo said Powell forgot the prototype phone, which had been disguised to resemble the previous model iPhone, the iPhone 3GS, on a bar stool when he left the establishment. Gizmodo said the phone ended up with a person who had been sitting next to Powell at the bar after no one else claimed it. "Weeks later, Gizmodo got it," the technology blog said. Nick Denton, founder of the Gawker blog network, said on his Twitter feed that US$5,000 (S$6,881.50) was paid for the phone. "Yes, we'll do anything for a story," Denton said. "We're proud practitioners of checkbook journalism." According to Gizmodo, features of the new phone, expected to be unveiled later this year, include a front-facing video camera for video chat, a flash and an improved regular cameraa with a larger lens. It also has a flat back instead of curved back, is thinner than the 3GS, is three grams heavier and has a battery that is 16 percent larger.
  22. One man was killed and a Daimler test driver was injured in an accident on Autobahn A81 near Rottweil, Germany. In the early morning hours of the April 23 the 52-year-old Daimler employee was testing a 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class prototype SUV when he struck a 26-year-old man exiting his vehicle. Moments before, the younger man had a problem with his vehicle that led to a minor collision with a guard rail on the left side median. Two other motorists, aged 29 and 57, stopped to assist the man when the M-Class approached at a high rate of speed. Apparently not seeing the accident site, the Daimler driver crashed into the other vehicle as the 26-year-old was emerging from his own car. The test driver's vehicle flipped over, and travelled an additional 250 feet before coming to rest on its roof. Emergency responders transported the test driver to the hospital with serious injuries. Neither of the two good samaritans required treatment in a hospital, as both managed to jump over the guard rail to safety. Only the 57-year-old received minor injuries, likely from the fall. A video of the accident shows damage to a third car, possibly the vehicle driven by the roadside assistants. The crash took place on a stretch of A81 that connects Singen and Stuttgart, where Mercedes-Benz and Porsche prototypes are often tested under the cover of darkness. There is no posted speed limit on that stretch of motorway. Police have not yet determined the responsible party, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation. Property damage at the scene was estimated at
  23. The test driver behind the wheel of a Pagani C9 prototype is believed to be responsible for a crash that destroyed the early version of the supercar. Initial unconfirmed reports suggest the driver lost control of the vehicle at high speeds while on Autobahn B14 in Stuttgart, Germany. Paramedics transported the driver to the hospital with non-critical injuries. The car is certainly capable of lethal speeds, as it uses a 6.0-liter V12 engine that produces 690 bhp (515 kW / 700 PS) and up to 1000 Nm (738 ft-lb) of torque. There were no other injuries in the one-car accident. So far, it is unknown how badly the accident will set Pagani engineers back on the development of the Zonda replacement. It is believed that the C9 was being prepped for a debut in six months at the Paris Motor Show, with a market release soon after. After vehicle testing in South Africa, the car had been spotted this month in northern Sweden. It is possible that the test car in Johannesburg with two tailpipes is the same car that crashed in Germany. The cost of the accident was not yet disclosed, but the finished version of the Pagani C9 could carry a retail price of
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